Roddick gets off to a flyer at Brisbane

Roddick, the defending champion, needed just 72 minutes to secure a 6-3, 6-2 win over Australia's Marinko Matosevic.

Andy Roddick on the way to victory over Marinko Matosevic in Brisbane yesterday.

Andy Roddick made an impressive start to his 2011 season yesterday with a straight-sets defeat of Australia's Marinko Matosevic at the Brisbane International.

Roddick, the defending champion at the Queensland event, needed just 72 minutes to secure a 6-3, 6-2 win.

And afterwards the second-seeded American revealed he feels back to full fitness as he continues his build up to the season-opening grand slam tournament in Melbourne in two weeks' time.

He said: "I feel healthy and fit probably for the first time since May last year, so that's a good thing.

"There's nothing I'm trying to cover up, I don't feel short on practice, I don't question the last month that I've put in and that's a first for a little while."

Australia's Bernard Tomic was beaten 6-2, 6-2 by Florian Mayer, the seventh seed, while Germany's Michael Berrer overcame Dudi Sela 1-6, 7-6, 6-2 to set up a potential clash with Robin Soderling, the top seed who plays Ryan Harrison today.

In the women's draw Sam Stosur, the top seed, cruised past qualifier Lucie Hradecka 7-6, 6-1 and Shahar Peer, the second seed, was an equally convincing 6-4, 6-2 victor against Sophie Ferguson.

In New Zealand, Maria Sharapova moved into the second round of the ASB Classic in Auckland after cruising past Italy's Alberta Brianti 6-2, 6-3.

Sharapova, the former world No 1, was simply relieved to have got 2011 off to a winning start and played down the significance of her match being delayed by two hours due to the change of opponent.

"I've been on the tour for many years and, by now, I'm really used to it," she said. "I've often played after the guys at tournaments and been warming up at two sets to none, only to wait around for another three hours.

"That's the way it goes and you just have to be ready."

In the next round Sharapova meets Czech Renata Voracova, who beat Lourdes Dominguez Lino 4-6, 7-6, 6-0.